Of everything I thought I might write about in this issue, my personal thoughts on swimming were nowhere near the top of the list. I’ve never been that great at it and as far as my interest in the sport goes, it’s always ended at Tom Daley.
In fact, my interest in most sports stops there. More power to those who do, but annual Pride Nights aside I’ve just never been a big fan of watching folks prove they’re athletically inclined.
That’s probably in part because I never have been, though I’m pretty good at video games and hate watching people play those too. Of course I don’t carry as many psychological scars from PlayStation as I do Sportsball. Even at 37 years old I have the occasional nightmare about sixth grade gym.
An obviously gay, asthmatic kid in Husky jeans and a “Star Trek” T-shirt was just never going to excel at baseball, but despite that likelihood – and instead of showing a little LGBTQ solidarity – my lesbian P.E. teacher made me strike out three times in a row. That’s nine swings and nine misses in front of every bully on the bench, a tragic tale for another time.
My childhood trauma and aversion to athletics aside, I was still happy to learn LGBTQ history was made March 17 during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division championships. That’s when University of Pennsylvania student Lia Thomas, who in the weeks prior Sports Illustrated called the “transgender swimmer dividing America,” became the first trans woman to win an NCAA Division I title.
I’ll admit I had to google what an NCAA Division I title was, but since it was such a cool thing for our community I knew right away that I was #TeamLia. LGBTQ people are everywhere and do everything, so representation everywhere and in everything matters.
Some very vocal folks on the internet have disagreed in the weeks since, most disappointingly among them members of the LGBTQ community. From the safety of their keyboards, sudden swim fans have declared Thomas had no right to compete.
It’s all been a page ripped right from J.K. Rowling’s spellbook. Critics have argued that being assigned male at birth gives humankind an inherent advantage in competitive sports, something I – along with anyone who attended my middle school – can assure you isn’t the case. But the fact remains that Thomas didn’t break a single record during the championship.
From what I’ve read, it’s never been about that for her. “I just want to show trans kids and younger trans athletes that they’re not alone,” Thomas has said. “They don’t have to choose between who they are and the sport they love.”
That’s a message we should all be able to get behind, especially in Florida where LGBTQ youth are a favorite target for the Republican-controlled state legislature. In a lesson straight from Mar-a-Lago and with one eye on the White House, our governor even weighed in on Thomas and her victory to declare it void.
In an actual proclamation, Ron DeSantis asserted that her winning time of 4 minutes and 33.24 seconds didn’t best the championship’s runner-up, who came in at 4 minutes and 34.99 seconds. Talk about alternative facts.
Trans women are women – not just when they’re fighting for LGBTQ rights at Stonewall and beyond or we’re obsessing over the cast of “Pose” – but always.
That includes when they compete on a swimming team, and every member of our community should work to make that clear for those who don’t understand or disagree.
Thomas is more than a political pawn, she’s a person. It’s unfortunate that so many people in and outside of our community seem to have forgotten that, particularly as the world deals with much larger issues.
We examine one of those at length in our new issue, highlighting Arsham Parsi ahead of his local speaking engagements. The activist is the founder and executive director of the International Railroad for Queer Refugees, an organization working to resettle LGBTQ refugees. He details how we can all help make a difference.
In Tampa Bay news, an arrest is finally made in the murder of Jenny De Leon and EPIC cycles toward SMART Ride 19, their first ride as a beneficiary. In State news, DeSantis signs his latest anti-LGBTQ bill into law.
In Arts and Entertainment, we gear up for the Florida Film Festival in Orlando. We also chat with Karole Foreman, who’s starring as LGBTQ icon Billie Holiday at freeFall Theatre.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.
